Fishing is fantastic in the Bahamas Miami Angler?
C'mon.
It may be a little better but it's not fantastic. Stocks have definitely been depleted and it's not because of pressure from South Florida anglers. It's because of the Bahamians themselves. These guys are dropping fish traps up and down the bank. Been to Orange Cay lately? It's a freakin maze of fish traps. In fact, I was there late last year trying to navigate the buoys and this beat up Bahamian trap boat starts circling us as if to intimidate us. I gave them a one finger salute and thanked them for all the fish traps.
I used to fish Isaac heavily to the North and the Riding Rocks and the Oranges to the south of Bimini going back to the 1970s. I have seen a steady and disturbing decline in bottom fishing over the last 15 years because of the indiscriminate fish trap harvest perpetuated by the Bahamians. I mostly deep jig off the drop for black and red grouper, mutton, black and button snapper, and some other species, and while we used to catch several quality fish and always within the previous limits, your now lucky to catch a nice grouper and/or mutton on every trip. In fact, I have given up on the Oranges that were so productive years ago. I have also given up on the Bahamas and their hypocritical fish regs. Anywhere you go in the Bahamas you're always approached by the locals with offers to sell you fish, conch, and lobster regardless of season or size.
Don't get me wrong, pelagic fishing is still pretty good, but bottom fishing and overall fishing in the Bahamas is far from fantastic.
I for one aint going anymore and will continue focusing on my original stomping grounds in the Keys. I am fired up about the Bahamas.
High tides
J